Cast simulated marble building product and its manufacture



Sept. 15, 1970 R. B. nussms 3,528,131

CAST SIMULATED MARBLE BUILDING PRODUCT AND ITS MANUFACTURE l8 ZONEI 24:

\Qira 4 u g 'x I 5 I 26 INVENTOR RAY BROWN oussms ATTORNEY BY w M/Mw Sept. ;1 5, 1970 R. B. DUGGI'NS CAST SIMULATED MARBLE BUILDING" PRODUCT AND ITS MANUFACTURE Or ginal Filed Aug. 31, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-18 INVENTOR RAY BROWN DU'GGI'NS ATTORNEY Sept. 15, 1910 R. B. nuss ms 3,528,131

CAST SIMULATED MARBLE BUILDING PRODUCT AND ITS MANUFACTURE 3 m t S M G S W G my 1 u t D e N m W I s o 3 R B M R Y B 6 6 9 l 1' 3 m A d 6 n F 1 a n z .1 t O ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,528,131 CAST SIMULATED MARBLE BUILDING PRODUCT AND ITS MANUFACTURE Ray Brown Duggins, Chadds Ford, Pa., assignor to E. l. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Original application Aug. 31, 1966, Ser. No. 576,303. Divided and this application Dec. 19, 1968, Ser. No.

Int. Cl. B2915 3/02 US. Cl. 18-13 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is a division of Ser. No. 576,303 filed Aug. 31, 1966 by the same inventor.

This invention involves a relatively high speed continuous operation apparatus and producing such products in a form possessing predetermined multi-colored threedimensional patterns, or veins, or streams in differently colored background materials, the patterns having a degree of controlled irregularity to simulate certain desirable aspects of natural stone or marble, yet also having a high degree of reproducibility and flexibility to enable not only predetermined controlled variation of a given products appearance, but also selective re-creation or duplication of any given pattern or appearance previously prepared by the manufacturing arrangement of the inveution.

The natural beauty of certain stone formations such as marble has stimulated the desire by many persons over the years for their simulation in man-made products. In relatively recent years products simulating marble have been created by incorporating colored pigments into heavily loaded or filled resin bases. Examples of some of these prior art products and manufacturing arrangements are disclosed in US. Pats. Nos. 1,120,632, 1,638,109,

2,040,863, 2,280,488, 1,699,413, 1,845,457 and 3,050,785.

These types of marbleized resins are produced commercially in the United States and are referred to many times as cultured marble. These materials have been generally made by mixing a filler such as calcium carbonate with an epoxy or polyester type resin and thereafter adding and manually swirling in a pigment before gelation, or curing of the material takes place. This action, or marbleizing is generally done in much the same random uncontrolled way as two-flavor frostings are prepared on cakes. The known prior art indicates that most producers of marbleized products add the coloring or veining pigments and swirl them by hand action into the polymerizing base in random fashion with no form of control or preselection of pattern exerted thereon. However it has been determined that in the manufacture of a relatively uniform commercial product of this type, it is important to create a general yet variable type of pattern or veining which produces a pleasing marble-like elfect of high appeal to potential customers. Since the prior art manufacturing arrangements do not appear to control, other than in a manual random fashion the formation of the multicolored patterns or veining, it is not believed possible for the prior art arrangements to prepare a reproducible pat- 3,528,131 Patented Sept. 15,, 1970 tern which is generally uniform in appearance of vein structure with respect to the dimension, shape, direction, depth, and other characteristics of the pattern of a previously produced product.

It was an object of this invention to provide an efiective and reliable apparatus for manufacturing a novel and improved building product, preferably from polymeric materials such as poly(methyl methacrylate) filled with calcium carbonate having a predetermined appearance and structure preferably generally similar to natural marble yet capable of controlled infinite variation and also capable of reproduction on a commercial scale.

The object of this invention has been achieved by a manufacturing arrangement, comprising in combination: a first means for receiving and bringing together and thoroughly, intimately mixing, with a high intensity mixing action, in a confined first mixing zone under controlled conditions, a plurality of polymerizable ingredicuts; a second means, of predetermined dimensions, operatively connected with said first means for conducting, at a predetermined flow rate and predetermined conditions of pressure and temperature, a first stream of said intimately mixed material from said first mixing zone; a third means, cooperating with said second means and defining said second lower intensity mixing zone, said first means conducting said first stream into said second lower intensity mixing zone; a fourth means, cooperating with said second means, for adding to said first stream of intimately mixed material, at a point between said first and third means, said point spaced a predetermined distance from said third means, at least one additional flowable discrete coherent stream of compatible material having a color different from said first stream and having properties selected and controlled such that the second stream does not mix with the other stream but forms therewith a composite stream of at least two substantially distinct, coherent, separately identifiable, independent, side-by-side coextensive portions; a fifth means, cooperating with said third means and comprising a movable material displacing member of predetermined size, dimension, and configuration constructed and arranged for predetermined, reproducible, repetitive movement at predetermined rates and in predetermined directions in said second mixing zone of said third means, to produce a limited low intensity, low order, mixing action on a mass of predetermined size and shape of said polymerizing material and said colored material accumulated within said second mixing zone and displace the second stream throughout the accumulated mass, Without intimate mixing, in a predetermined, continuous, reproducible, separately identifiable three dimensional configuration while maintaining the integrity of the second discrete stream, said fifth means further comprising a driving means operatively connected with said material displacing member for moving said member in said predetermined movement in said second zone, said third means further provided with structure defining a restricted extrusion orifice of predetermined dimensions to form an extruded sheet comprising the polymerizable material and the colored material; sixth means, cooperating with said first, second, third and fourth means, for developing in said composite stream a predetermined level of pressure, said predetermined dimensions, conditions, and rates all controlled and predetermined such that said extruded sheet comprises the polymerizable material with the discrete stream of colored material, with its integrity maintained, distributed therethrough in a predetermined, repetitive, reproducible, three dimensional, irregular, separately identifiable pattern and color relationship, and such that said extruded sheet is maintained in fiowable polymerizing condition at least until it passes said restricted orifice;

and a seventh means, cooperating with said structure, defining said extrusion orifice for directing said fiowable extruded sheet into a molding assembly under controlled streamline flow conditions.

Additional objects and advantages will appear from a consideration of the following specification and claims taken in conjunction With the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1A and 13 represent a vertical longitudinal cross sectional view taken through an apparatus embodying features of the invention for manufacturing the improved products of the invention; certain parts being broken away to better illustrate the construction and cooperation of the apparatus features.

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken at line 22.

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken at line 33.

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the details of the rotating material displacing member.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a cast object embodying features of this invention with part broken away and shown in section to show the pattern and configuration of the colored stream in the base material which produces the marble-like effect.

The process which the apparatus of this invention is adapted to perform generally comprises the following basic steps: bringing together in a reaction zone (Zone 1) under controlled conditions, monomer and polymer sirups, fillers, base-colored pigments, catalysts, promoters, and modifiers; subjecting these materials to a high intensity intimate mixing action to produce a homogeneous, uniformly colored, polymerizing mass; conducting this polymerizing viscous mass into a second zone (Zone II) under metered, controlled conditions while adding at controlled rates separate streams of pigments to form vein patterns which differ from the base color; subjecting this viscous mass collected in the second zone to a controlled low intensity mixing action at predetermined controlled shear rates to progressively displace the separate streams of pigments throughout the polymerizing mass in a controlled predetermined general pattern or structure; extruding this mass from the second zone through an orifice of predetermined size; and conducting the extruded stream under streamline flow conditions to a mold assembly to complete polymerization and/or cure.

The steps of bringing together the necessary ingredients and causing high intensity mixing action to produce the substantially homogeneous polymerizing mass may be accomplished in a number of suitable procedures known to the art. However, the following steps relating to the controlled addition and handling of the pigment streams are the most important and significant so far as this invention is concerned in that they relate specifically to the use of the apparatus described and claimed herein. In the apparatus of the invention, the initial stream of polymerizing material is conducted under controlled predetermined conditions of temperature and pressure, and at predetermined controlled flow rates into the second zone for a particular low intensity mixing action. Into this stream are added streams of pigment in the form of colored pastes through one or more entry parts either prior to or at entry of the stream into the second zone. These colored streams are metered into the stream of polymerizing material at predetermined controlled rates of flow and are positioned in the polymerizing material such that at least one distinct coherent flowable stream of compatible colored material differing in color from the color of the polymerizing material is introduced and folded into the polymerizing material under controlled conditions predetermined by the desired pattern, such that the colored stream does not diffuse or mix initimately with the polymerizing material but forms with the first stream a composite body of at least two coextensive substantially distinct coherent separately identifiable portions of predetermined proportions. As the colored stream or streams are folded into the polymerizing material they are progressively displaced through this material in a predetermined reproducible threedimensional configuration throughout the polymerizing mass collected in the second zone with the integrity and continuity of the colored streams substantially maintained. The composite body or mass is extruded through an orifice in the structure defining Zone II at predetermined flow rates and under streamline flow conditions prior to entering a mold assembly. The flow rates, conditions, and dimensions of the extruded material and its orifice are controlled so that the extruded composite stream comprises colored veins or streams, with their integrity maintained distributed throughout the polymerizing material in a predetermined, repetitive, reproducible, three-dimensional, irregular pattern having predetermined color relationship to the polymerizing material.

The colored material can be added prior to or at the point of entry of the polymerizing material into the second zone. It has been found that each colored stream should be added separately through individual feed parts at positions spaced transversely of each other relative to the direction of flow of the stream of polymerizing material.

The lowest possible degree of mixing is employed in most cases. The colored streams or veining pastes are folded into the polymerizing material so that normally, considerably less than 5% blending takes place within the polymerizing material. In some cases a slight degree of blending or diffusion of the colored stream into the background polymerizing material enhances the threedimensional vein pattern appearance by causing variation in the contrast between the veins or colored stream and the other material. A reduction in this contrast can be accomplished by varying the size of the colored stream and lowering its viscosity to about 0.9 poise Where the normal value would be about 1.9 poises.

As to the type of mixing, the desired colored stream or vein patterns are produced by introducing the colored pigmented stream or paste into the polymerizing material with a material displacing member having a configuration that provides a very low shear mixing action. The veins are formed by directing controlled streams of colored pigments in diameters ranging from about V to A inch in thickness into the polymerizing material for distances approaching the thickness of the article to be cast or molded. The veins may also be formed by allowing the colored streams to fall in a controlled manner on the surface of the polymerizing material being given the low intensity mixing action. The colored streams or veins are formed in the polymerizing mass by means of a number of mixing blade elements engaging the material in the second mixing zone and having varying width material deflecting surfaces. Preferably the mixing blade elements are mounted on a rotary member or stirring arm and range in Width from about & to /2 inch. The rotary member used in the described embodiments of this invention is rotated at speeds between 5 and 100 feet per minute, preferably about 1540 feet per minute, the place of rotation being at an oblique angle to the general direction of flow of the polymerizing material through the Zone. FIG. 4 illustrates a preferred mixing blade element and stirring arm design where the indicated angle varies between 30 and 60". In such an arrangement, the mixing blade elements are adjusted such that the colored stream, or veining paste, is folded into the accumulated mass of polymerizable material in the low intensity mixing zone (Zone II) from the outer periphery of the mass toward its center by the mixing blade element on one side of the stirring arm, and is folded or displaced from the center of the mass toward its periphery by the mixing blade elements on the other side or end of the stirring arm. The blade elements can travel from -100 feet per minute at the extremities of the stirring arm and from about zero to about feet per minute at or near the center of rotation of the arm. Usually the colored stream or veining pastes are added at or near the outer periphery of the path of the turning blade elements in the low intensity mixing zone with the stirring arm turning at about -40 r.p.m. While the polymerizing material is passing through the zone at rates of about 1-2 cubic feet per minute. The amount of blending taking place may be regulated by the varying rotational speed of the blade elements or by varying the rate of flow of the polymerizing material through the low intensity mixing zone. Normally for best results, the throughput of the polymerizing material through Zone II is adjusted such that at speeds of 22 feet per minute of the outermost blade elements, the polymerizing material is extruded from Zone II through an orifice A inch wide and thereafter is subjected to laminar or streamline flow conditions for a distance of at least 2-6 inches at velocities in the range of from 8-120 feet per minute prior to entering the molding assembly. This is necessary to straighten the undesirable uncontrolled variations in colored vein configurations. Usually the direction of flow under streamline conditions is substantially perpendicular to the line of movement of the ends of the stirring arm as they pass the extrusion orifice. The streamlined flow is required for a distance of at least about 2 inches but may exist for distances of 2 or 3 feet or more prior to entry of the polymerizing material into the mold. The apparatus for producing the articles of the invention will be described in greater detail at a later point in this specification. The colored stream or veining paste is preferably directed into the low intensity mixing zone II as shown in the drawings.

For best results in filling mold assemblies and reproducibility of patterns where the extruded stream from the second mixing zone is narrower than the mold assembly, a controllable preset programming means for controlling laydown of the extruded stream is required as shown schematically in FIG. 3. Where the width of the extruded stream with its particular pattern corresponds to the width of the mold assembly a direct one-pass laydown of the extruded stream is the desired mold assembly filling technique. Where less control and a smaller degree of reproducibility is acceptable, the lay-down of the extruded stream of polymerizing material can be accomplished by manually programming the extruded stream of given width into a wider mold assembly. Where the extruded stream is considerably narrower than the mold assembly in which it is being laid down, a preferred arrangement is one which results in the stream and its vein pattern being laid down in a direction which generally forms an angle of about 45 to the horizontal rectangular dimensions of the mold assembly. This results in cast articles having patterns that can be matched eifectively and which show the vein pattern to good advantage along the cut or beveled edges.

Another point of considerable importance in the mold assembly filling operation is the arrangement required to achieve a clean smooth glossy finish on the major use surface of the case article. Usually the extruded stream of polymerizing material is laid down in a mold assembly which preferably comprises a flat tray unit with side walls or raised side edges to contain the cast material, the major use side of the cast article being that surface which is laid down in contact with the bottom of the tray unit. In order to achieve a clean smooth glossy finish on the surface of interest of the cast article, and prevent adherence to the mold assembly, it has been found highly desirable to place a thin disposable film (F) of organic polymeric composition in the fiat tray unit as shown in FIG. 1B, such that it is interposed between the unit and the material being laid down therein and prevents contact of the material with the mold assembly. Such a film or sheet should possess a clean smooth glossy surface and be compatible but non-reactive with the material being cast thereon. It is an important requirement that the shrinkage proportions of this film be substantially matched to the shrinkage properties of the polymerizing material placed thereon in the mold assembly. This material and the bottom of the tray unit can reach temperatures as high as 250-300 F. It is believed that the high degree of shrinkage of the polymerizing material relative to the surface of conventional mold assemblies (usually metallic) caused wrinkles and undesirable surface irregularities on the final article. The use of films of the type indicated between the material and bottom of the mold assembly has eliminated this problem and also avoided sanding or polishing of the cast articles major use surface. The film may be left in place as long as desired to protect the major use surface during further handling. For the polymerizing systems of this invention, films made of the following materials have been found to be satisfactory: polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate resins and others. The films should be biaxially shrinkable under the action of heat or certain solvents with a uniform thickness in the range of .5 to about 30 mils. As an example of the shrinkages encountered, a 20%-30% volume reduction occurs during the polymerization of methyl methacrylate. This decreases with the amount of filler present. In a 60% filled system about .5 to 3% linear reduction takes place. The preferred material for the bottom of the fiat tray is a smooth non-porous metallic composition, although other low cost suitably finished non-porous materials may be used.

With respect to the materials used in the practice of this invention, it is required that the polymerizing media into which the veining pigments are comingled be cured to a degree of about 75% within a time period no greater than 15-45 minutes. Gelation must be substantially completed before the pigments and fillers settle out thereby destroying the pattern and vein depth, yet not before the casting or molding operation is completed.

It is believed that the process and apparatus described herein can be applied to any inorganic or organic polymerizing systems which gel Within the above time limits. Many fast gelling systems can be used such as acrylics, methacrylics, polyesters, polyamides, polyformaldehydes, etc., which can be formed in a manner such that gas evolution and shrinkage do not destroy the vein structure and appearance. It is also believed that the system could be employed in fast setting inorganic plasters and cements. The particular system employed in the development of the apparatus of this invention consists of poly(methyl methacrylate) filled with calcium carbonate and marbleized with a great variety of veining pigments and colors. The preferred process and product are specifically described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 576,303, the contents of which are specifically incorporated into this specification.

A preferred process and apparatus embodying principles of the invention accomplishes the folding of fine streams of the vein-forming pigments or colors ranging in viscosity from 0.8 to 2.5 poises and in thickness from to /2 inch into a mass of viscous polymerizing sirup having a viscosity within the range of 30 to poises. Thereafter the polymerizing mass is folded at least 30 to 70 times by engagement with a rotating mixing blade having leading edges of to 4 inch in width and preferably in the range of 7 to /8 inch, moving at top speeds ranging from 5-100 ft./min. and preferably 15-40 ft./min., directed such that in one sweep the pigment is folded toward the center of the mass while in the second sweep the pigment veins are pushed toward the outer edges of the mass prior to being passed through an orifice having dimensions of at least 2 inches in width and opening distance between A and 1 inch, and thereafter being drawn in a streamlined or straight-lined flow for a distance of at least 4 inches (and free-falling from the mixer to the casting surface for distances no greater than 34 inches) prior to entering a mold assembly.

The preferred apparatus embodying principles of this invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

As seen in FIG. 1A the apparatus comprises a movable support element 1 with a vertically extending passageway 2 extending through it. The passageway 2 is provided with a tapered shoulder portion 3 which cooperates with opposed tapered shoulder portion 4 on casing element 5 to rotatably support the main apparatus elements of the invention. Elements 5, 6 and 7 form a first composite housing assembly in which the polymerizable ingredients or materials are brought together and intimately mixed with a high intensity mixing action. An upper transverse plate element 15, together with an interior cavity in element 7, form an upper chamber 13 in the composite housing assembly. An inlet conduit 14 is provided to supply one of the inlet materials into the upper chamber. A lower transverse plate element 17 together with an interior cavity in element 5, form a lower chamber 19 in the composite housing assembly. Lower chamber 19 defines Zone I prevously discussed in which the high intensity mixing action occurs. The upper transverse plate element 15 is provided with a number of passageways or holes extending therethrough in a vertical direction as viewed in FIG. 1A. In each of these holes is secured one end of a tubular element 16, the other end of which is secured in a corresponding hole or passageway in the lower transverse plate element 17 such that the upper chamber 13 is in free communication with the lower chamber 19 via the hollow interiors of the tubular elements 16. A middle chamber 20 is formed in element 6 between the upper and lower transverse plate elements .15 and 17. An inlet conduit 21 is provided to supply the other inlet materials into the middle chamber 20. The inlet materials are supplied to inlet conduits 14 and 21 by variable pumps (not shown) at predetermined flow rates and pressures. The lower transverse plate is provided with additional vertical passageways or holes 22 which maintain free communication between the middle chamber 20 and the lower chamber 19. A vertically extending rotatably mounted shaft 8 extends through elements 5, 6, and 7 of the composite housing assembly and is drivingly connected at its upper end by means of sleeve coupling element 10 to the rotary output shaft of a variable speed pneumatic motor 11 which is secured in operative position at the upper end of the composite housing assembly which comprises elements 5, 6, and 7. Air under pressure is supplied to motor 11 via conduit 12. The lower end of shaft 8 extends through the lower chamber 19. Helical blade mixing elements 23 and 24 are secured to the shaft 8 for rotary movement therewith in the lower chamber 19, the direction of rotation of the shaft and mixing elements 23 are as indicated in FIG. 1A. A multiple element composite conduit assembly is operatively connected to the lower portion of element 5 and in free communication with the lower chamber 19. The composite conduit assembly comprises tubular element 25, elbow unit 26, tubular unit 27, elbow unit 28 and tubular unit 29. An adjustable valve element 30, secured to shaft 31 by machine screws 32 is mounted in tubular conduit element to control the flow through the conduit assembly and the pressure in lower chamber 19. The valve element position is varied b varying the knurled disk 33 which is secured to shaft 51 by set screw 35. The valve element is secured in position by a locking screw 34. As best shown in FIG. 1B and FIG. 2 two inlet conduits 36 and 37 are secured on tubular conduit element 29 by means of coupling units 38 and 39 to provide for introduction of colored or pigmented material into the polymerizing material moving through the composite conduit assembly as shown by the arrows. The colored material is supplied at predetermined pressures and flow rates by means not shown. Tubular element 29 communicates with the interior of a second composite housing assembly which comprises a cylindrical side wall element 44, a bottom element 45, and a top element 43. The top element 43 of the second composite housing assembly is coupled to the tubular element 29 by means of a coupling arrangement indicated by reference numeral 42 which comprises locking rings 81 mounted in annular grooves in the exterior of element 29 and engaging top element 43 and which further comprises a bearing assembly and a support ring 32 suitably rigidly secured to the outside of tubular element 29. The entire second composite housing assembly is movably supported on element 29 by means of this coupling arrangement and can be moved freely in the horizontal plane by means of the arm 59 and manually operable handle 60 or by means of a mechanical programming means schematically shown in FIG. 3. An extrusion orifice or outlet 46 is provided near the bottom of the cylindrical side wall element 44 of the second composite housing assembly. An inclined guideway or chute is positioned adjacent outlet 46' and provided with a bottom element 47 and side elements 48 for the purpose of directing extruded material issuing from the orifice 46 into a mold assembly which comprises a flat bottom element 62 and side elements 63. In addition the film (identified by the reference letter F) discussed previously is also shown in position between the extruded material and the bottom element for the purpose previously mentioned. A material displacing member or assembly 54 is rotatably mounted inside the second composite housing assembly on a vertical shaft 9 which is coupled to drive shaft 50 of a variable speed rotary pneumatic motor 52 as shown in FIG". 1B. The material displacing member 54 comprises an upper rail element 55 and a parallel lower rail element 56. A plurality of material deflecting blade elements 57 extend between the rail elements and are adjustably secured to the rail elements by suitable means such as the machine screw 58. Blade elements 57 are of varying sizes and arranged as shown in FIG. 5 to accomplish the desired low intensity mixing action in the lower portion of the second composite housing assembly (Zone II). With the preferred arrangement of blade elements 57 shown in the drawings, the material in Zone II will be displaced outwardly by engagement with the blade elements 57 on one side of the shaft 49 and inwardly by engagement with the blade elements 57 on the other side of shaft 49. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 the angle Z is 50 for the blade elements on one side of the shaft 49, and is for the blade elements 57 on the other side thereof.

The rates and pressures at which the various materials are supplied, the size of the composite housing assemblies and the conduit assembly, and the type of mixing action are all predetermined and controlled to produce and reproduce the desired vein structure and pattern in the final cast articles.

For a preferred apparatus suitable for producing rectangular thin cast articles the following specific information is given.

Conduits 14 and 21 which supply the basic material to chambers 13 and 20 from storage tanks are inch in diameter and the material is moved or pumped by variable speed positive displacement gear pumps. With the material having viscosities in the range from 55-65 poises each pump is adjusted to move about 75-85 cubic inches of filled polymerizing material per minute into the lower chamber 19. The lower chamber is about 2 inches in diameter and about 3 inches in height. The polymerizing ingredients passing through conduits 14 and 21 are subdivided by hollow tubular elements 16 and passageways 22 into small streams about inch in diameter. Helical blade mixing elements 23 and 24 constitute the active elements of a reverse helix mixing arrangement which is designed to produce the flow pattern shown in FIG. 1A moving against the outlet ends of passageways 18 and 22. The motor 11 which drives mixing elements 23 and 24 is run at between 1000 and 3000 rpm. The conduit assembly connecting Zone I with Zone II is about 1 inch in diameter and is about 16 inches long. Valve element 30 which controls the pressure in Zone I and the rate of flow through the conduit assembly is operated at from 25%-50% open. The colored stream or pigment paste stream conduits 36 and 37 are about Ms inch in diameter and are each supplied by a positive displacement pump at a rate of about 2-2.5 cubic inches per minute when the viscosity is in the range from .9 to 1.9 poises. The second composite housing assembly containing Zone II is about 6 inches in diameter and about 7 inches deep. The level of the collected polymerizing material is as indicated generally in FIG. 1B. The drive motor 52 operates between about 15 and about 40 rpm. in driving the material displacing assembly 54 at velocities between and 100* ft./ minute at its extremities. The blade elements 57 are preferably arranged as shown in FIGS. 1B and 5, each blade being between and inch in thickness and totally immersed in the polymerizing material. The extrusion orifice 46 is about inch wide and 6 inches long measured as a chordal distance on cylindrical wall element 44. The length of the guide or chute which comprises inclined element 47 and side elements 48 is about 4 inches long.

In operation, the preferred arrangement is carried out in a spark-free well-ventilated environment in order to safely handle the volatile organic solvents involved. One of the conduits 14 or 21 is supplied with filled methyl methacrylate monomer and polymer containing peroxide catalysts and base-colored pigments at a predetermined pressure and rate, and the other is supplied with a similar composition having a chain transfer agent initiator instead of the peroxide catalyst at a predetermined pressure and rate. Alternately, all of the filled sirup can be added via one of the conduits 14 or 21 while only catalyst or initiator is added via the other in order to increase the storage life of the monomer in polymer sirups. The catalyst could be added separately into the lower chamber 19 if desired.

The material supplied to the upper chamber 13 is subdivided into numerous small stream as it moves downwardly through hollow tubular elements 16 and passageways 18 in lower transverse plate element 17 and is extruded as a number of fine streams into the lower chamber 19. The material supplied to the middle chamber 20 is subdivided into numerous streams as it moves downwardly through passageways 22 (which are interspersed between passageways 18 in the plate element 17) and is extruded as a number of fine streams into lower chamber 19. The interspersed extruded small streams in lower chamber 19 are subjected to the high intensity mixing action of high speed helical mixing elements 23 and 24 to produce an intimately thoroughly mixed homogeneous mass of polymerizing material which then passes the valve element 30 into the conduit assembly comprising elements 26, 27, 28, and 29. At the upper end of element 29 as viewed in FIG.1B the pigmented or colored streams, which ultimately form the desired vein pattern, are introduced via conduits 36 and 37 at predetermined rates and pressures. The material issuing from the lower end of conduit 29 is collected in the second composite housing assembly and subjected to the controlled low intensity mixing action of the material displacing assembly 54 before being extruded in a stream M of controlled dimensions through orifice 46. After passing through orifice 46 the extruded stream M passes along an inclined guide under streamline flow conditions from which it is laid down on a film F in a mold assembly as shown in FIG. 1B where gelation and/ or curing occurs. The low order mixing action which occurs in the second composite housing assembly and Zone II involves movement of the material issuing from the conduit element 29 descending in a general spiral path toward the extrusion orifice 46 while being subjected to alternating radial displacements inwardly and outwardly as the rotary assembly 54 engages the mass. A generalized schematic showing of this action is given in FIG. 5.

Especially under continuous operating conditions the vein pattern structure and appearance of the material in extruded streams or at a given point is reproducible and will be substantially repeated by the apparatus at a later point to make possible close matching of the patterns produced in the cast articles. When the extruded stream is narrower than the mold assembly additional predetermined and reproducible variations in the vein pattern of the final article can be achieved by controlling the laying down of the stream in the mold by a controllable programming means.

It is believed to be clear from the foregoing descriptions and discussion that a novel production arrangement has been provided in accordance with the objects of the invention.

Although certain preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail in accordance with patent law, many modifications and variations within the spirit of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art and all such are considered to fall within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved high speed apparatus for continuously producing an extruded, flowable, castable stream of polymerizing material in predetermined dimensions said stream having distributed and suspended therein at least one relatively smaller, elongated, substantially continuous, coherent, independent, separately identifiable, compatible, mass of differently colored material in a predetermined, repetitive, reproducible, irregular, three dimensional pattern, said apparatus comprising in combination, a first means for receiving and bringing together and thoroughly, intimately mixing, with a high intensity mixing action, in a confined first mixing zone under controlled conditions, a plurality of polymerizable ingredients, a second means of predetermined dimensions operatively con nected with said first means for conducting, at a predetermined fiow rate and predetermined conditions of pressure and temperature, a first stream of said intimately mixed material from said first mixing zone, a third means cooperating with said second means and defining said second lower intensity mixing zone, said first means conducting said first stream into said second lower intensity mixing zone, a fourth means cooperating with said second means for adding to said first stream of intimately mixed material, at a point between said first and third means, said point spaced a predetermined distance from said third means, at least one additional flowable discrete coherent stream of compatible material having a color different from said first stream and having properties selected and controlled such that the second stream does not mix with the other stream but forms therewith a composite stream of at least two substantially distinct, coherent, separately identifiable, independent, side-by-side coextensive portions, a fifth means cooperating with said third means and comprising a movable material displacing member of predetermined size, dimension, and configuration constructed and arranged for predetermined, reproducible, repetitive movement at predetermined rates and in predetermined directions in said second mixing zone of said third means to produce a limited low intensity, low order, mixing action on a mass of predetermined size and shape of said polymerizing material and said colored material accumulated within said second mixing zone and displace the second stream throughout the accumulated mass, without intimate mixing, in a predetermined, continuous, reproducible, separately identifiable three dimensional configuration while maintaining the integrity of the second discrete stream, said fifth means further comprising a driving means operatively connected with said material displacing member for moving said member in said predetermined movement in said second zone, said third means further provided with structure defining a restricted extrusion orifice of predetermined dimensions to form an extruded sheet comprising the polymerizable material and 11 the colored material, sixth means cooperating with said first, second, third and fourth means for developing in said composite stream a predetermined level of pressure, said predetermined dimensions, conditions, and rates all controlled and predetermined such that said extruded sheet comprises the polymerizable material with the discrete stream of colored material, with its integrity maintained, distributed therethrough in a predetermined, repetitive, reproducible, three dimensional, irregular, separately identifiable pattern and color relationship, and such that said extruded sheet is maintained in flowable polymerizing condition at least until it passes said restricted orifice, said apparatus further comprising a seventh means cooperating With said structure defining said extrusion orifice for directing said flowable extruded sheet into a molding assembly under controlled streamline flow conditions.

2. The improved apparatus of claim 1 in which said second means is provided with a variable means for controlling flow of said first stream and for controlling within limits the pressure in said first mixing zone.

3. The improved apparatus of claim 1 which further comprises a programming means cooperating with a molding assembly and said seventh means for directing the extruded stream into a mold assembly in a predetermined reproducible pattern.

4. The improved apparatus of claim 1 in which said molding assembly comprises a main supporting surface for engaging and supporting said extruded sheet, and a layer of film positioned between said surface and said sheet to control the lower surface characteristics of said sheet, said layer comprised of a material having linear heat shrinkage properties substantially equal to those of said sheet to prevent wrinkling or roughness of the bottom surface of said sheet.

5. The improved apparatus of claim 1 in which said third means defines the second lower intensity mixing zone in the form of a cylinder; the position of said extrusion orifice, the point of delivery of said first stream into said second lower intensity mixing zone, the size, configuration, and motion of said material deflecting member all cooperating to cause said additional stream of colored material in the material of said first stream accumulated in said second mixing zone to move downwardly in a spiral path toward said extrusion orifice While being periodically deflected radially inwardly and outwardly throughout the accumulated material until it reaches said orifice.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 26,237 7/1967 Rowland l8l3 XR 2,803,041 8/1957 Hill et a1. l8l3 XR 2,880,455 4/1959 Mineah l82. 2,963,736 12/1960 Snow et a1. 182 3,064,307 11/1962 Sanborn l82 3,241,503 3/1966 Schafer l8l3 XR 3,405,425 10/1968 Budsley et a1. 18-13 WILBU'R L. McBAY, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

